LOCK HAVEN, Pa. (EYT) – Coming off a 4-7 overall mark and a 2-5 mark in the PSAC West, the Clarion University football team has been picked to finish in next-to-last place in the eight-team PSAC West.
(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)
Only Seton Hill is picked to finish below the Golden Eagles.
Slippery Rock, the defending PSAC West Champion, was picked to win the league followed by California (Pa.) and IUP in voting by the league’s coaches.
Clarion’s strength could lie in its defensive backfield, as the Golden Eagles return all five starting defensive backs from a unit that ranked third in the PSAC in pass defense a year ago allowing 191.5 yards per game.
On offense, the Golden Eagles bring back running back Mylique McGriff, who averaged 100.6 all-purpose yards per game despite having trouble staying healthy in 2018. McGriff averages 5.5 yards per touch over the course of his two-year career.
Slippery Rock, which garnered six of the eight possible first-place votes, after advancing to the NCAA DII Football Quarterfinals last year and finishing seventh in the NCAA DII National poll released by the AFCA returns 11 starters on defense and is three wins shy of 600 overall as a program.
The Rock returns first-team all-conference quarterback Roland Rivers III. Rivers III turned in 3,318 yards of total offense while amassing 35 touchdowns.
Coach Shawn Lutz’s defense stymied the rushing attack after holding teams to 140.6 yards per contest,, which was second-lowest in the PSAC. The Rock has put together 10 consecutive winning seasons.
Cal, which received a first-place vote along with IUP, is the only PSAC program to win at least seven games each year since 2005.
The Vulcans return quarterback Noah Mitchell, who was tabbed PSAC West Freshman of the Year and was the first Vulcan to garner the award since 1987.
Cal led the league and ranked among the top 10 in the country last year with both a 48.7% third-down conversion rate and 0.64 sacks allowed per game.
IUP posted an 8-3 record in 2018 and returns 16 starters. Eleven of those 16 have previously claimed all-conference accolades. Head coach Paul Tortorella enters his third season at the helm and carries a 21-4 record, the best two-year start in IUP history.
The Crimson Hawks defense will rely on senior linebackers Damon Lloyd and Nick Amendola. The duo has combined for 480 career tackles.
Mercyhurst was picked fourth and returns 15 starters. Junior running back Garrett Owens returns after a strong sophomore campaign that saw him rank fourth in the PSAC in rushing yards per game (110.6). Coach Marty Schaetzle’s defense allowed only 20.7 points per game; which was second-best in the PSAC.
Edinboro secured the fifth slot and returns 14 starters. Wide receiver Ta’Nauz Gregory led the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (796) and receiving touchdowns (10). Defensively, the Fighting Scots picked off a league-high 19 passes in 2018 and finished fifth in NCAA DII.
Gannon was tabbed sixth and returns 14 starters. The Golden Knights return a pair of all-conference representatives on the defensive side in redshirt junior Jay Bullock and redshirt senior Andrew Berger. Berger accumulated 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks.
Seton Hill rounded out the poll and will be under the direction of Griffin alum Dan Day. The Griffins finished third in the league in 2018 after averaging 276.3 yards per game.
Slippery Rock, Gannon and Mercyhurst open their respective slates Thursday, September 5. Cal U battles St. Anselm Friday, September 6 while the remaining four West Division teams commence play Saturday, September 7, with Clarion opening up at 1 p.m. at Shippensburg.
COACHES’ POLL
1. Slippery Rock (6)
2. Cal U (1)
3. IUP (1)
4. Mercyhurst
5. Edinboro
6. Gannon
7. Clarion
8. Seton Hill
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